The Conferral Ceremony for Mr. Phillip Gibson of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star (19/7/2017)

On the 19th of July 2017, the conferral ceremony was held at the Ambassador’s official residence for Mr Phillip Gibson, who has been awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from His Majesty the Emperor of Japan in the 2017 Spring Decorations. Mr Gibson, Special Adviser and Director Christchurch and Special Envoy for Disaster Risk Management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is the former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of New Zealand to Japan.

This award recognizes his significant contribution in promoting cordial ties and mutual understanding between Japan and New Zealand.

At the ceremony, Ambassador Toshihisa Takata expressed his gratitude for Mr Gibson’s longtime dedication on behalf of the Government of Japan and conferred the Order and its Patent of Decoration to him. In reply, Mr Gibson expressed his joy upon receiving this decoration as well as his heartfelt gratitude to those who have built and continue to build on the decades long Japan-New Zealand relationship.